Whole Roast Chicken Cooked in Yoghurt with Mustard & Garam Masala
Non-vegetarianOrigin east of India
A whole chicken marinated in yoghurt, mustard and warm spices, then roasted and basted with ghee until tender. The result is lightly tangy, aromatic and rich, with a golden, spiced skin.
Whisk 30 g Greek yoghurt, 15 g English mustard, 4.2 g granulated sugar, 13.5 g vegetable oil and salt to taste in a mixing bowl.
Stir in the marinade masala: 3.9 g Kashmiri chilli powder, 1.5 g ground turmeric, 5.4 g ground coriander, 1.3 g garam masala and 16.2 g garlic and ginger paste until smooth.
Rub the marinade over 1000 g whole chicken until the skin is completely coated.
Put the chicken on a plate, cover loosely with foil if you like, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Take the chicken out of the fridge 1 hour before cooking and leave it at room temperature.
Heat the oven to 180°C fan (400°F). Line a deep baking tray with foil and set a wire rack over it.
Place the chicken on the rack and put the tray in the oven; roast for 1 hour 10 minutes.
Baste the chicken with 41.4 g ghee or butter every 20 minutes during roasting.
Continue until the chicken is cooked through and the juices at the thickest part run clear; turn off the oven.
Lift the chicken out, cover loosely with foil and rest in a warm spot for 15 minutes.
Steep a tiny pinch (0.1 g per 2 g turmeric) in 2 tbsp warm water; use to match the rich golden hue. Contributes an aristocratic, honeyed floral flavour rather than earthy bitterness.
Use 50% of the weight and stir in near the end of cooking. Adds warmth and depth since it contains ground coriander, but introduces stronger spices like clove and cinnamon.
Use 50% of the weight mixed with equal parts ground coriander and a pinch of ground cinnamon, ground cloves, and ground green cardamom. Sprinkle near the end for a warming finish.